| Date | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday, October 10, 2015 | 8:00PM - 10:00PM | External Event, Sheraton Centre, Grand East |
American Studies Association Conference
To laugh is, in some very real ways, to know that one lives. In the midst of global inequalities, pleasure can and often does, whether recognized or not, provide a type of freedom and release—an opportunity to remember again that there are alternatives to the frightening present. This is especially true for communities of color who have suffered the violence of racial taxonomies and their attendant dispossession. As scholar Glenda Carpio writes, “... to confront the maddening illusions of race and the insidiousness of racism we may just need to laugh long and hard, perhaps in the tragicomic notes of the blues or in the life-affirming spirit of righteous insurgency.” This stand-up performance will give participants of the ASA an opportunity to laugh—freely but thoughtfully—under the guidance of comedian Aamer Rahman. A law school graduate and former political organizer, Rahman is an Australian-Bengali comic whose stand-up was described by The National (Abu Dhabi) as “incisive, cutting and controversial observations about society’s ills, sprinkled with sardonic humor and pop-culture references.” His take on comedy is an extension of his work as half of Fear of a Brown Planet, an award-winning comedic team that he co-founded. Rahman draws heavily on national political issues and debates (over immigration and Islamaphobia, for example) as well as the structures that tie together the experiences and cultures of numerous global communities. His 2013 “reverse racism” routine received more than 1.5 million views on YouTube, launching him internationally and garnering him a number of accolades, including an opening spot for U.S. comedian Dave Chappelle and favorable reviews from Britain’s The Guardian. Rahman’s performance will usher to the ASA stage an important method in the “ways of resistance” by displaying how laughter can re-enliven and mobilize our collective resilience and imagination.
Please refer to the program book on line
https://asa.press.jhu.edu/program15/info.html
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